Combined match-box and cigar-cutter.



UNITED saa s VATENT oEEIoE.

HERBERT L. FARROW, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO' CARTER HOWE & COMPANY, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A FIRM.

COMBINED MATCH-BOX. AND CIGAR-CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 9, 1908.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909. Serial No. 431 -83l.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT L. Fannow, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Match-Box and Cigar-Cutter, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an improvement in combined match boxes and cigar cutters and more particularly to that type or class of match boxes wherein the cutter is actuated by the movement of the cover or a hinged part of the box, the cutter being employed to clip the end of the cigar. Such match boxes are usually intended to be carried in the pocket.

Heretofore it has been customary in pocket match boxes to form in the box part, suitable means for introducing the end of a cigar into an opening and by closing down the cover of the box a knife or cutter is actuated across the opening to sever the tip of the cigar. These devices, however, have possessed more or less complicated mechanisms,-

and are designed more particularly for use in connection with boxes of substantially rectangular formation having the top part hinged at one ed e so as to swing transversely on a relatively short hinge.

My invention is designed primarily, but not necessarily limited for use in connection with what is known as card matches, that is to say matches which are secured to cards and are to be torn or broken off from the attaching base, the base part of the card being usually provided with a scratching or igniting surface for lighting the head or tip of the match.

The invention consists more particularly in what is known as a side oicning box shaped to accommodate a card 0 matches so that a match can be taken from the box and separated from the card without removing the entire card from the box.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the preferred embodiment of the invention as well as modified forms thereof, but it is to be understood that various changes and alterations can be made in the arrangement and positioning of the parts without departing from the nature of and spirit of the invention.

I have used the term cutter in this specification to indicate either a clip or cutter, as well as those devices which in this art are termed perforators. a

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the box showing the cover thrown back, Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the box showing the cover closed, Fig. l is a front elevation showing the cover closed, Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the same, Fig. (3 is a longitudinal section on line w-=r Fig. -l, Fig. 7 is a transverse section on line yy Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is a front elevation having a modified form.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A designates the body proper of the box consisting of the papered edge pieces a having rounded ends, a bottom wall, the forward edge of which extends partially around the rounded forward ends of the edge pieces a, and a top wall which extends across the lower end of the box only so as to form a receptacle therein to receive the lower end of a card of matches, the major portion of the top or front of the box being open to permit the removal of the matches. The top wall of the box is provided with an opening-or slit a therein so that when a card of matches is secured in the box, the igniting surface thereof will be positioned beneath said opening.

B designates the lid or cover of the box which is hingedly secured at the lower end of the box so that when the same is closed. it will overlie the top or front wall as well as close the opening in the front of the box. From this construction it will be seen that the lid or cover B normally-conceals that portion of the box which is apt to become discolored from the striking of the matches. The lid or cover B is hinged to the box by means normally tending to hold the same open and the forward end thereof is curved so as to partially surround the rounded forward ends of the edge pieces a of the box and to abut against the forward edge of the bottom wall of the box when the lid is in its closed position. The lid is maintained in its closed position by means of a spring catch which is secured to the forward edge of the bottom wall of the box and is designed to cooperate with the cover when the same is moved to its closed position. Any suitable form of spring catch may be employed but I refer to use a leaf spring which is secure in any suitable manner to the inuncut and to prevent the cutter f" terior of the forward end of the bottom. wail of the box and which carries an apertured member 0, which is adapted to receive a proection c earned by the cover B preferably reinforced around the edge there of, and extending inwardly from said edge piece and surrounding the aperture therein is a substantially conical pocket D, which lies within the interior of the box and which is adapted to receive the tip of a cigar, the lower portion of said conical pocket and the adjacent portion of the bottom wall of the box being cut away to permit the escape of a cigar tip after the same has been severed in the manner to be hereinafter described. The upper portion of the substantially conical pocket D is cut away so as to leave a narrowslit d between the same and the inner surface of the edge piece a of the box. Pivoted to the inner side of the edge piece a of the box is the cutter arm E, the pivot e of which is located substantially between the ends of said edge piece. This arm E has its rear end 6 extended beyond the pivot for a distance sutticient to engage "the bottom wall of the box when the arm is moved outward and to thereby limit the movement of said arm. A small spring 6 is secured to the box in rear of the pivot and engages the rear end of the arm E so as to normally" elevate the outer end thereof. The arm E is flat and bears against the inner face of the edge piece a of the box, while its outer end is rovided with a circular cutter or blade F, this blade being positioned to enter the slit d and to pass across the aperture formed in the outer end of the edge piece a.

The upper edge of the arm E is provided with a laterally projecting portion 6 which permits the cutter to be operated independently of the cover or lid B if desired. This iaterally projecting portion is also adapted to contact with the upper'portion of the substantially conical pocket I) to limit the downward movement to the cutter. T o form a housing for the spring and the pivoted portion of the arm I), a plate E is secured at the edge of the box through which the pivot passes. The spring and the arm are of thin construction and the protecting or housing plate is so positioned as to assist in retaining the parts against side moveom being interfered with oy the matches contained in -.:ii.\'.. I

a card. matches is inserted'in one ,see

the box and the igniting surface of the card is positioned below the opening a in the front Wall of the box, heretofore referred to. Iit-is only necessary, therefore, to break one of the match splints from the card and without removing the card a match can be struck by striking the head thereof on the igniting surface of the card at the said opening.

,To use the cutter, the lid or cover B is released by pressure on the finger piece 0 and the tip of the cigar is then inserted in the substantially conical pocket .D, the knife or cutter being thrown out'by its spring. The lid or cover B is then closed down onto the cutter arm E forcing it downward and clipping off the end of the cigar and the tip t through the cut-away portion in the bottom wall of the box. As the metal of which boxes of this general character are made is generally rather thin, the lid or cover B is preferably provided with a thickened or reinforced portion 7) adjacent the point where pressure 15 applied toefl'ect the depression of the cutter and this portion of the cover is preferably roughened to facilitate manipulation thereof.

hile l have described the arm E as provided with a cylindrical cutter or blade F, it is obvious that any other form of cutter might be used or that the outer end of the arm E might be provided at its end with a perforator in lieu of the cutter.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing, a modified form of construction is illustrated. The box illustrated in this figure is substantially us severed will escape.

similar to that heretofore described except that the lid or cover of the box is hingedto the upper edge of the front wall of the box instead of to the bottom of the box, so that in this construction the ignition. portion of the match card is always exposed.

Having thus described my invention, what is new and desired to be secured by Letters iatent is:

1. 1%. pocket match box comprising a body portion of tapered formation having one side thereof hinged at its lower edge to constitute a cover,.and a tip receiving pocket arranged in the end of the box opposite the hinged connection for the cover, the said pocket portion being separated from the interior of the box. and having an exterior discharge opening, a cigar penetrating device arranged to enter the said pocket and a spring actuated arm carrying the said penetrating device, extending longitudinally of the box and pivotally secured at one edge thereof.

2. A pocket match box comprising a body .orticn having one side thereof hinged at its lower edge to constitute a cover and a. tip receiving pocket arranged in the end of the box opposite the hinged connection for the cover, the said pocket portion being separated from the interior of the box and having an exterior discharge opening, a cigar penetrating device arranged to enter the said pocket and a spring actuated arm carrying the said penetrating device, extending longitudinally of the box and piv0tally secured at one edge thereof.

3. In a pocket match box, the combina tion with a body part having a hinged side constituting the cover, acigar t-ip' receiving part arranged outside the box and having an outwardly leading tip'discharging opening, a pivoted arm arranged longitudinally of the box and located at the edge thereof, a cutter at the end of the arm adapted to enter the pocket, a spring for normally forcing the cutter out into a position to be engaged by the cover, and a housing plate fixedly secured in position between the cutter arm and the interior of the box.

4. In a match box, the combination with a body part having a hinged side and a tip receix-ing opening at the edge of the box. an arm pivoted to the edge of the box having a rearwardly extended part designed to engage the bottom of the box, a spring for normally forcing the arm outward beyond the tip receiving opening at the side of the box, and a tip penetrating device carried by the forward end of the arm and adapted to project across said'opening.

5. In a match box, a sheet metal body portion provided with a tip receiving portion, a cutter, and a substantially flat sheet metal lid for the front of the box, said lid being provided with a thickened portion which is adapted to engage the cutter when the lid is closed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT L. FARROVV. \Vitncsses \VILLIAM L. LUFF, Monms B. ALLEN. 

